Animal snare



April'1-3, 194s.

ANIMAL SNARE Filed May 29, 1946 fi'ol-ari/flabnnor Attarneys Patented Apr. 13, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANIMAL SNARE Robert S. Connor, Little Marais, Minn.

Application May 29, 1946, Serial No. 672,997

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a novel construction of snare adapted for use in trapping and quickly killing large animals by hanging, so that the aim of the animal is not damaged and so that the suffering of the animal will be reduced to a minimum.

Among the principal objects of the invention is to provide an improved snare of the afore described character which will not be clogged by the fur or long hair of animals caught therein, which is equipped with a lock of sufiicient size to afford play to a flexible member passing therethrough so that the snare will not be rendered inoperative by a kink in the flexible member and so that the flexible member will not be prematurely engaged by the lock and possibly broken or cut as a result thereof, and to provide a snare which will not be rendered inoperative by a coating of ice, sleet or rust.

Another object of the invention is to providea snare which can be utilized an indefinite number of times and which is sufficiently durable and so constructed that it will not be damaged by use irrespective of the amount of pull exerted thereon by a captured animal.

Still a further aim of the invention is to provide a snare which can be set by a user while wearing heavy gloves this being advantageous since such devices are generally employed in very cold climates.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof, and

wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view showing the snare in an operative position;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of the snare and on an enlarged scale;

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view showing the snare lock in an operative position;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the look;

Figure 5 is an end view in elevation of the lock, looking toward the right-hand end of Figure ,4, and

Figure 6 is an end view in elevation of the snare anchor.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates the improved snare in its entirety and which includes an elongated flexible member 8 which is preferably formed by a twisted, multi-strand cable, a lock designated generally 9 and an anchor member, designated generally ID.

The lock 9, as best illustrated in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 comprises a metallic member having a tubular end portion H which terminates at the free end thereof, in an outwardly flared flange I2. As best seen in Figures 3 and 4, the tubular portion II is provided with a V-shaped notch l3 which is disposed in the under part of the lock 9 and which opens outwardly of the flared rim I2 at its enlarged end. The edges or walls of the notch i3 are beveled from the outer side of the tubular portion l I to provide sharpened edges [4 at the internal surface of the tubular portion H for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent.

The opposite end of the lock 9 is formed by a pair of corresponding elongated arms l5 which are disposed at opposite sides of the lock 9 and which are formed integral with and extend from portions of the inner end of the tubular portion I I. The arms l5 are arcuate in cross-section and are tapered toward their free ends. The upper edges of the arms l5 are provided with a plurality of notches forming toothed or serrated surfaces IB. A pin 11 is disposed between and secured tothe free ends of the arms l5 and has a sleeve l8 journaled thereon, between the arms 15.

The sleeve I8 is provided with an annular groove [9 adjacent one end thereof to receive 7 the looped end 28 of the cable 8 which is formed which is held by a second clamp 2|.

The anchor I8 is formed from a heavy strand of wire which includes a straight shank portion 24 which extends from the eye 23 and which terminates in a plurality of spaced coils 25 beyond which'the strand is bent to form a plurality of folds 26 having parallel portions which are spaced from one another. The opposite end of the strand forming the anchor l terminates in a laterally projecting terminal portion 21 having a flattened end, as best seen in Figure 6.

The flexible member or cable 8 may be of any length required and the end portion thereof, adjacent the anchor I0, is adapted to be looped around a ,tree trunk, limb, rock or any other suitable anchoring means and with the cable passed in and out between the folds of the portion 26 and the convolutions of the portion 25 for efficiently securing said cable end to the limb or rock or other anchoring means. It will thus be readily apparent that the anochor l0 affords an expedient means for fastening the end of the cable 8 which is connected to an anchoring means" relative rigidity. Further, the anchor l0 permits this tying to be accomplished while the user is Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a snare, an elongated flexible member, a lock having one end thereof connected to an end of the flexible member and provided with a tubular portion at its opposite end through which a portion of the flexible member loosely extends, said tubular portion being open at its ends and being of an internal diameter substantially greater than the diameter of the flexible member and less than'the length'ofsaidtubular portion, said lock combining with a portion of the'flexible member to form a loop or noose and being con- 1 :structed and arranged whereby the tubular porwearing heavy gloves and without the removalthereof, which constitutes animportantiactorw due to the fact that the snare 1 is commonly utilized in very cold climates, frequently under. 2

sub-zero weather conditions.

The portionof the flexible member or cable 8, between the ends secured to the sleeve -I8 and the. portion thereof disposed in the tubular portion H constitutes a noose 28 which is adapted to be positioned in a location where an animal will in likelihood pass its head therethrough. The noose 28 will be retained in any adjusted. position to form a loop of any desired size due to the fact that the weight and normal tendencyof'the cable. 8 to assume a substantially straightposition will cause the lock 9-to swing to its position of Figures 1 and3 so that the edge-portions l4 and 22 will bite into the cable sufliciently to prevent sliding movement of the lock relatively thereto. The

animal in passing its head into the nooseor. loop 28 willexert a pull thereon in a direction away from the interior thereof to. cause the lock 9to slide in a direction away fromthe anchorl0 thereby restricting the noose or loop I 8 until: it is disposed tightly around the animals neck. The greater the pull exerted by theanimal, the greaterwill be the amount that the loop or n oose'28is restricted so that a struggling animal will be further means to prevent inadverent disengagement-of the lock 9.

In view of the size of the tubular portion l I as" compared to the cross-sectional size of the cable- 8, it will be readily apparent that ice, sleet or rust will not prevent the operation of thesnaret I and including the-lock 9 so that the snare will function even though it has been left exposed to "the elements for a long period of time. Further, any hair or flesh becoming entangled in the lock 9 can be readily disengaged to permit the snare/l to be reused an in definitenumber of times. The internal diameter of. the tubular portion H is made sufficiently large so that the snare will func tion even if the flexible member. orcable 8 has become tangled-or knotted.

. tion thereof will slide freely on the flexible member in a direction-for restricting the size of the .loopor noosauand means, forming a part of said tubular portion, to resist movement of the lock in the opposite'direction relatively to the flexible member:

2. A snare as in claim? 1, said means comprising a notch disposed-lengthwise of said tubular portion and openingoutwardly of thefree end thereof for receiving and claiming .a portion of the flexible member whenv the 110058 is restricted and tightly.

engaged about the neck of an animal.

3. A snare as in claim 1, said first mentioned end of. the lockcomprising laterally spacedarms connected at their. free ends. by a transversely disposed element,.said portion of. the cable extending over said transversely disposed element and said first mentioned end of thecable. being connected thereto for rocking the lock toward a posi,-.

tion transversely of said portion. of the flexible memberwhenthenoose is engagedtightly about the neck of ananimal.

4. A snareas in claim 1, said first mentioned:

end of the lock comprising laterally spacedarms connected-at 'theirfree ends by a transversely disposed element, said portion of the cable extending over said transversely disposed element and saidfirst mentioned end of the cable being connectedthereto for. rocking the look toward .a posi-.

tion transversely of said portion of the flexible membenwhen .the noose is engaged tightly about the neck of an animal, and said armsbeingprovided with serrated upperedges adapted to engage theneck of an animal about which the noose is disposed. V

5. Asnare asin claim 1, said means comprising a'notch disposed lengthwise of said tubularportion and opening outwardly of the free end thereof for receiving andclamping a portion of the flexible member when the noose is restricted and tightly.

look toward a position transversely of said portion. of the flexible member when the noose is engaged tightly about the neck of. an animal, and said arms being-provided with serrated upper edges adapted to engage the neck of an animal-about which the noose is disposed.

6. In a snare, an elongated flexiblemember, a lock having one end thereof connected to an end ofxthe flexiblemember and provided witha tubularportion at its opposite end through which 6 a portion of the flexible member loosely extends, said tubular portion being open at each or its REFERENCES CITED ends, said lock combining with a. portion of the flexible member to form a loop or noose and being The following references are of record in the constructed and arranged whereby the tubular 5 me of this patentportion will slide freely on the flexible member in a direction for restricting the size of the loop or UNITED STATES PATENTS noose, and said tubular portion having means forming a part thereof to resist movement of the rg g g gzgg g 81931 lock in the opposite direction relatively to the 10 1888875 Long 81; a] 1932 fiexlble member- 1,964,631 Hansen June 26, 1934 ROBERT S. CONNOR. 

